Marsha Thomason
Encyclopedia
Marsha Lisa Thomason is an English
actress, who is known in the United States
for playing Nessa Holt in the first two seasons of the NBC
series Las Vegas
, for her recurring role on ABC
's Lost
as Naomi Dorrit, and for playing FBI agent Diana Berrigan on USA Network
's White Collar
.
, the daughter of Phyllis (née McCrae), a Jamaica
n electronics company employee and Peter Thomason, who worked in politics. She attended Holy Trinity Primary School in Blackley
, and North Manchester High School for Girls, before attending Oldham Sixth Form College
to study for A levels in Media Studies
, Theatre Studies and Performing Arts
. Thomason attended the Manchester Metropolitan University
, receiving a Bachelor of Arts
degree in English
.
From the age of 13, Marsha attended Oldham Theatre Workshop
where she was able to participate within youth theatre productions which would later contribute in her confidence towards becoming an aspiring professional actress.
and Where The Heart Is
, as well as in the first series of the BBC Three
drama Burn It
. In the U.S.
, she appeared in Disney's
The Haunted Mansion
, playing Eddie Murphy
's wife. She played Brandy in the movie My Baby's Daddy
, and played Victoria in Black Knight
. She also played Vicki in Pure. She starred in the US television series Las Vegas
as Nessa Holt in seasons 1 and 2, a total of 47 episodes.
On 21 October 2004 she was a guest on the radio show Loveline
. In January 2008 she appeared in Messiah V: The Rapture
, alongside Marc Warren
. In August 2008 Thomason was cast as a series regular in the CW show Easy Money.
In 2009 Thomason appeared on General Hospital
; her first appearance was 20 November. After appearing in the pilot episode for White Collar
as agent Diana Berrigan, she returned for the first season finale. It was announced that she would appear on the series full time in the second season. She will be the new voice of Diana in Hitman: Absolution.
as Naomi Dorrit. Being a friend of Dominic Monaghan
(who played Charlie Pace
on the series), she was a huge fan of the show and excited to be cast. She also found the lack of character transparency to be refreshing: "That’s kind of difficult as an actor, but also freeing in a way, because you just have to play the scenes as they’re written. And then if you find out if you’re a big villain or whatever, then you play that... You know when that worked really brilliantly? On 24
with Nina Myers
. She didn’t have a clue – Sarah Clarke
, the actress – and that made it really brilliant, because she played Nina honestly. Really honestly. And then she was a villain. Genius. That was such a great one."
She first appeared in the third season episode "Catch-22
," which aired on 18 April 2007, and continued to appear until the season finale "Through the Looking Glass
". She next appeared in "The Beginning of the End
" and in the season 5
, episode 13, "Some Like it Hoth".
Thomason is an avid supporter of Manchester City Football Club
.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
actress, who is known in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
for playing Nessa Holt in the first two seasons of the NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
series Las Vegas
Las Vegas (TV series)
Las Vegas was an American television series broadcast by NBC from September 22, 2003 to February 15, 2008. The show focuses on a team of people working at the ficticional Montecito Resort & Casino dealing with issues that arise within the working environment, ranging from valet parking and...
, for her recurring role on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
's Lost
Lost (TV series)
Lost is an American television series that originally aired on ABC from September 22, 2004 to May 23, 2010, consisting of six seasons. Lost is a drama series that follows the survivors of the crash of a commercial passenger jet flying between Sydney and Los Angeles, on a mysterious tropical island...
as Naomi Dorrit, and for playing FBI agent Diana Berrigan on USA Network
USA Network
USA Network is an American cable television channel launched in 1971. Once a minor player in basic cable, the network has steadily gained popularity because of breakout hits like Monk, Psych, Burn Notice, Royal Pains, Covert Affairs, White Collar, Monday Night RAW, Suits, and reruns of the various...
's White Collar
White Collar (TV series)
White Collar is a USA Network television series created by Jeff Eastin, starring Matt Bomer as con-man Neal Caffrey and Tim DeKay as Special Agent Peter Burke. It premiered on October 23, 2009. In December 2009, White Collar was renewed for a second season that began on July 13, 2010...
.
Early life
Thomason was born in Moston, ManchesterMoston, Greater Manchester
Moston is a district of Manchester, in North West England, approximately 3 miles north east of the city centre. Historically a part of Lancashire, Moston is a predominantly residential area, with a population of about 12,500 and covering approximately .-History:The name Moston may derive...
, the daughter of Phyllis (née McCrae), a Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
n electronics company employee and Peter Thomason, who worked in politics. She attended Holy Trinity Primary School in Blackley
Blackley
Blackley is an area of the city of Manchester, in Greater Manchester, England. It is north of Manchester city centre, by a meander of the River Irk. Further north is Middleton...
, and North Manchester High School for Girls, before attending Oldham Sixth Form College
Oldham Sixth Form College
Oldham Sixth Form College is a government-funded college of further education in Oldham in Greater Manchester, England. Opened in 1992 as a specialist centre for advanced-level study, the Principal of the college is Jayne Clarke....
to study for A levels in Media Studies
Media studies
Media studies is an academic discipline and field of study that deals with the content, history and effects of various media; in particular, the 'mass media'. Media studies may draw on traditions from both the social sciences and the humanities, but mostly from its core disciplines of mass...
, Theatre Studies and Performing Arts
Performing arts
The performing arts are those forms art which differ from the plastic arts insofar as the former uses the artist's own body, face, and presence as a medium, and the latter uses materials such as clay, metal or paint which can be molded or transformed to create some physical art object...
. Thomason attended the Manchester Metropolitan University
Manchester Metropolitan University
Manchester Metropolitan University is a university in North West England. Its headquarters and central campus is in the city of Manchester, but there are outlying facilities in the county of Cheshire. It is the third largest university in the United Kingdom in terms of student numbers, behind the...
, receiving a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
.
From the age of 13, Marsha attended Oldham Theatre Workshop
Oldham Theatre Workshop
The Oldham Theatre Workshop is a youth theatre group based in the north west of England.-Outline:Founded by David Johnson in 1968, the workshop is renowned for producing some of the best young acting talent in Britain...
where she was able to participate within youth theatre productions which would later contribute in her confidence towards becoming an aspiring professional actress.
Career
Thomason first came to prominence on British television in the series Playing the FieldPlaying the Field
Playing the Field is a BBC television drama series following the lives of the Castlefield Blues, a fictitious female football team from South Yorkshire.-Outline:...
and Where The Heart Is
Where the Heart Is (1997 TV series)
Where the Heart Is is a British television drama series set in the fictional town Skelthwaite.First shown in 1997, it was created by Ashley Pharoah and Vicky Featherstone...
, as well as in the first series of the BBC Three
BBC Three
BBC Three is a television network from the BBC broadcasting via digital cable, terrestrial, IPTV and satellite platforms. The channel's target audience includes those in the 16-34 year old age group, and has the purpose of providing "innovative" content to younger audiences, focusing on new talent...
drama Burn It
Burn It
Burn It was a drama series, with touches of dark comedy, following the lives of three twenty-somethings in present-day Manchester.-About:The series followed Carl, Andy and Jon as three self-proclaimed Generation X-ers going through life without any real responsibilities to worry them...
. In the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, she appeared in Disney's
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
The Haunted Mansion
The Haunted Mansion (film)
The Haunted Mansion is a 2003 American comedy horror family film which is based on The Haunted Mansion attraction at Disney theme parks. The film is directed by Rob Minkoff, and stars Eddie Murphy, Terence Stamp, Jennifer Tilly, Marsha Thomason, and Nathaniel Parker...
, playing Eddie Murphy
Eddie Murphy
Edward Regan "Eddie" Murphy is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, singer, director, and musician....
's wife. She played Brandy in the movie My Baby's Daddy
My Baby's Daddy
My Baby's Daddy is a 2004 comedy film, directed by Cheryl Dunye.-Plot:Childhood friends Lonnie , Dominic , and G have a rude awakening when they find out their girlfriends are pregnant....
, and played Victoria in Black Knight
Black Knight (film)
Black Knight is a 2001 American comedy film starring Martin Lawrence. The film was directed by Gil Junger, whose experience was primarily with television sitcoms...
. She also played Vicki in Pure. She starred in the US television series Las Vegas
Las Vegas (TV series)
Las Vegas was an American television series broadcast by NBC from September 22, 2003 to February 15, 2008. The show focuses on a team of people working at the ficticional Montecito Resort & Casino dealing with issues that arise within the working environment, ranging from valet parking and...
as Nessa Holt in seasons 1 and 2, a total of 47 episodes.
On 21 October 2004 she was a guest on the radio show Loveline
Loveline
Loveline is a syndicated radio call-in program in North America, offering medical and relationship advice to listeners, often with the assistance of guests, typically actors and musicians. Its flagship station is KROQ-FM in Los Angeles....
. In January 2008 she appeared in Messiah V: The Rapture
Messiah V: The Rapture
Messiah V: The Rapture is the fifth installment of the BBC serial crime drama Messiah. This serial introduced Marc Warren as DCI Joseph Walker in the lead role, taking over from Ken Stott's character Red Metcalfe....
, alongside Marc Warren
Marc Warren
Marc Warren is an English actor, known for his British television roles as Danny Blue in Hustle, Dougie Raymond in The Vice and Dominic Foy in State of Play.-Career:...
. In August 2008 Thomason was cast as a series regular in the CW show Easy Money.
In 2009 Thomason appeared on General Hospital
General Hospital
General Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns....
; her first appearance was 20 November. After appearing in the pilot episode for White Collar
White Collar (TV series)
White Collar is a USA Network television series created by Jeff Eastin, starring Matt Bomer as con-man Neal Caffrey and Tim DeKay as Special Agent Peter Burke. It premiered on October 23, 2009. In December 2009, White Collar was renewed for a second season that began on July 13, 2010...
as agent Diana Berrigan, she returned for the first season finale. It was announced that she would appear on the series full time in the second season. She will be the new voice of Diana in Hitman: Absolution.
Lost
Thomason was a recurring character on the television show LostLost (TV series)
Lost is an American television series that originally aired on ABC from September 22, 2004 to May 23, 2010, consisting of six seasons. Lost is a drama series that follows the survivors of the crash of a commercial passenger jet flying between Sydney and Los Angeles, on a mysterious tropical island...
as Naomi Dorrit. Being a friend of Dominic Monaghan
Dominic Monaghan
Dominic Bernard Patrick Luke Monaghan is an English actor. He has received international attention from playing Merry in Peter Jackson's adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings and for his role as Charlie Pace on the television show Lost....
(who played Charlie Pace
Charlie Pace
Charlie Hieronymus Pace is a fictional character on ABC's Lost, a television series chronicling the lives of plane crash survivors on a mysterious tropical island...
on the series), she was a huge fan of the show and excited to be cast. She also found the lack of character transparency to be refreshing: "That’s kind of difficult as an actor, but also freeing in a way, because you just have to play the scenes as they’re written. And then if you find out if you’re a big villain or whatever, then you play that... You know when that worked really brilliantly? On 24
24 (TV series)
24 is an American television series produced for the Fox Network and syndicated worldwide, starring Kiefer Sutherland as Counter Terrorist Unit agent Jack Bauer. Each 24-episode season covers 24 hours in the life of Bauer, using the real time method of narration...
with Nina Myers
Nina Myers
Nina Myers is a fictional character on the television series, 24, played by Sarah Clarke. Nina was second-in-command of the Los Angeles Counter Terrorist Unit during the first season of the show.-Characterization:...
. She didn’t have a clue – Sarah Clarke
Sarah Clarke
Sarah Clarke is an American actress, best known for her role as Nina Myers on 24, and also for her roles as Renée Dwyer, Bella Swan's mother, in the 2008 film Twilight as well as Erin McGuire on the short-lived TV show, Trust Me.-Early life:Clarke was born in St...
, the actress – and that made it really brilliant, because she played Nina honestly. Really honestly. And then she was a villain. Genius. That was such a great one."
She first appeared in the third season episode "Catch-22
Catch-22 (Lost)
"Catch-22" is the 17th episode of the third season of Lost, and the 66th episode overall. It was aired in the US on April 18, 2007 on ABC. The episode was written by Jeff Pinkner and Brian K. Vaughan, and directed by Stephen Williams...
," which aired on 18 April 2007, and continued to appear until the season finale "Through the Looking Glass
Through the Looking Glass (Lost)
"Through the Looking Glass" is the third season finale of the ABC television series Lost, consisting of the 22nd and 23rd episodes of the third season. It is also the 71st and 72nd episodes overall. It was written by co-creator/executive producer Damon Lindelof and executive producer Carlton Cuse,...
". She next appeared in "The Beginning of the End
The Beginning of the End (Lost)
"The Beginning of the End" is the fourth season premiere, and 73rd episode overall, of the American Broadcasting Company's television drama series Lost. It was aired on ABC in the United States and CTV in Canada on January 31, 2008...
" and in the season 5
Lost (season 5)
The fifth season of the American serial drama television series Lost commenced airing on the ABC network in the United States and on A in Canada in January 2009, and concluded with a two-hour season finale on May 13, 2009...
, episode 13, "Some Like it Hoth".
Personal life
On 5 April 2009 Thomason married Craig Sykes, a lighting technician, in Malibu, California.Thomason is an avid supporter of Manchester City Football Club
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Safe | Wendy | TV Movie |
| 1994 | Priest | Nurse | |
| 1996 | Prime Suspect 5: Errors of Judgment | Janice Lafferty | |
| Brazen Hussies | Stripper Stripper A stripper is a professional erotic dancer who performs a contemporary form of striptease at strip club establishments, public exhibitions, and private engagements. Unlike in burlesque, the performer in the modern Americanized form of stripping minimizes the interaction of customer and dancer,... with fire |
TV Movie | |
| 2001 | Swallow | Tina Harford | TV Movie |
| Black Knight Black Knight (film) Black Knight is a 2001 American comedy film starring Martin Lawrence. The film was directed by Gil Junger, whose experience was primarily with television sitcoms... |
Chambermaid Number 7 / Victoria the Chambermaid / Nicole | ||
| 2002 | Long Time Dead Long Time Dead Long Time Dead is a 2002 thriller horror film set in the United Kingdom in which a group of college students experiment with an Ouija board and inadvertently summon a djinn - an Arabic spirit of fire. The film stars Joe Absolom, Lukas Haas and Tom Bell. It was the directorial debut of Swindon-born... |
Lucy | |
| Pure | Vicki | ||
| 2003 | The Haunted Mansion The Haunted Mansion (film) The Haunted Mansion is a 2003 American comedy horror family film which is based on The Haunted Mansion attraction at Disney theme parks. The film is directed by Rob Minkoff, and stars Eddie Murphy, Terence Stamp, Jennifer Tilly, Marsha Thomason, and Nathaniel Parker... |
Sara Evers / Elizabeth Henshaw | |
| 2004 | My Baby's Daddy My Baby's Daddy My Baby's Daddy is a 2004 comedy film, directed by Cheryl Dunye.-Plot:Childhood friends Lonnie , Dominic , and G have a rude awakening when they find out their girlfriends are pregnant.... |
Brandy | |
| 2005 | The Nickel Children | Beatrice | |
| 2006 | The Package | Melissa | Short film Short subject A short film is any film not long enough to be considered a feature film. No consensus exists as to where that boundary is drawn: the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes or less, including all... |
| Caffeine Caffeine (film) Caffeine is a 2006 comedy starring Marsha Thomason, Mena Suvari, Breckin Meyer, Katherine Heigl, and Mike Vogel. It revolves around relationships of the staff and patrons of the quirky Black Cat Cafe in London one day... |
Rachel | ||
| The Fast One | Lucy | Comedic short | |
| The Tripper The Tripper The Tripper is a 2007 slasher film which was directed by David Arquette and stars Jaime King, Thomas Jane and Lukas Haas.-Synopsis:The film is a nostalgic homage to the exploitation films of Wes Craven and Tobe Hooper that follows a group of free-loving hippies who escape to a modern-day Woodstock... |
Linda | ||
| Tug of War | Sam | Comedic short | |
| 2007 | LA Blues | Carla | |
| 2008 | Messiah V: The Rapture Messiah V: The Rapture Messiah V: The Rapture is the fifth installment of the BBC serial crime drama Messiah. This serial introduced Marc Warren as DCI Joseph Walker in the lead role, taking over from Ken Stott's character Red Metcalfe.... |
Mel Palmer | TV Movie |
| 2009 | Into the Blue 2: The Reef | Azra | Film |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Prime Suspect | 1 Episode: Prime Suspect 5: Errors of Judgement | |
| 1997 | Pie in the Sky | Sally | 8 Episodes |
| 1998 | Playing the Field Playing the Field Playing the Field is a BBC television drama series following the lives of the Castlefield Blues, a fictitious female football team from South Yorkshire.-Outline:... |
Sharon 'Shazza' Pearce | |
| Where the Heart Is Where the Heart Is (1997 TV series) Where the Heart Is is a British television drama series set in the fictional town Skelthwaite.First shown in 1997, it was created by Ashley Pharoah and Vicky Featherstone... |
Jacqui Richards | 3 Episodes: "The Final Curtain", "The Healing Game" & "Fresh" | |
| 1999 | Love in the 21st Century | Louise | Episode: "Threesome" |
| 2001 | Table 12 | Denie | Episode: "Guess Who's Not Coming to Dinner" |
| 2003 | Burn It Burn It Burn It was a drama series, with touches of dark comedy, following the lives of three twenty-somethings in present-day Manchester.-About:The series followed Carl, Andy and Jon as three self-proclaimed Generation X-ers going through life without any real responsibilities to worry them... |
Tina | |
| 2003–2005 | Las Vegas Las Vegas (TV series) Las Vegas was an American television series broadcast by NBC from September 22, 2003 to February 15, 2008. The show focuses on a team of people working at the ficticional Montecito Resort & Casino dealing with issues that arise within the working environment, ranging from valet parking and... |
Nessa Holt | Seasons 1-2 (Main cast: 47 Episodes) |
| 2007 | Cane Cane (TV series) Cane is an American television drama created by Cynthia Cidre, who also served as executive producer alongside Jonathan Prince, Jimmy Iovine and Polly Anthony. The pilot was directed by Christian Duguay... |
Miranda Sanfilipino | Episode: "Family Business" |
| 2007–2010 | Lost Lost (TV series) Lost is an American television series that originally aired on ABC from September 22, 2004 to May 23, 2010, consisting of six seasons. Lost is a drama series that follows the survivors of the crash of a commercial passenger jet flying between Sydney and Los Angeles, on a mysterious tropical island... |
Naomi Dorritt | 12 Episodes |
| 2008 | Life | Jill Abrahams | Episode: "The Business of Miracles" |
| 2008 | Easy Money Easy Money (2008 TV series) Easy Money is a comedy-drama television series created by Diane Frolov & Andrew Schneider. It premiered on October 5, 2008 on The CW Television Network. The show—along with Valentine, Surviving Suburbia, and In Harm's Way—are shows programmed by Media Rights Capital , an independent producer of... |
Julia Miller | series regular |
| 2009–2010 | Make It or Break It | MJ Martin | 6 Episodes |
| 2009–present | White Collar White Collar (TV series) White Collar is a USA Network television series created by Jeff Eastin, starring Matt Bomer as con-man Neal Caffrey and Tim DeKay as Special Agent Peter Burke. It premiered on October 23, 2009. In December 2009, White Collar was renewed for a second season that began on July 13, 2010... |
Diana Berrigan | Season 1 (2 episodes: Pilot, Finale); Season 2+ (Main Cast) |
| 2009 | General Hospital General Hospital General Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns.... |
Gillian Carlyle | 2009 |
| 2011 | 2 Broke Girls 2 Broke Girls 2 Broke Girls is an North American television comedy series that debuted on CBS during the 2011–12 television season. The first episode aired at 9:30 pm after Two and a Half Men on September 19, 2011. Later episodes followed How I Met Your Mother on Monday nights at 8:30 pm . The series was... |
Cashandra | Episodes: "And Hoarder Culture", "And The Really Petty Cash" |